The Best Yellow Cupcakes

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Oh no, not another vanilla cupcake recipe! Yes, indeed.

This is for everyone who is frustrated by the fact that it’s so easy to make a good scratch chocolate cupcake, but not so easy to make a soft, tender, vanilla cupcake. This recipe changes the game. Not that I don’t also love these sour cream cupcakes, the vanilla bean cupcakes and this doctored cake mix/flour hybrid recipe, but I think this recipe is a notch above the others.

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Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk or regular milk mixed with lemon juice**
  • 3 cups (12 ounces) cake flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line about 30 muffin cups with paper liners.

Whisk the eggs, yolks, vanilla and ¼ cup of the milk together in a small bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, and mix on low for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining 1 cup of milk to the flour mixture and with the mixer on low, blend together. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

With the mixer still on medium, add the egg mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the side of the bowl and mixing only until thoroughly incorporated. Divide the batter among the cups filling them about 2/3 of the way full. Make sure not to use too much or you’ll get big rims.

Bake for 18-25 minutes or until cupcakes are brown around the edges and spring back when touched.

Notes:
If using milk and lemon juice, use 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
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Adapted from a three layer cake recipe in Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes, these cupcakes are my new favorite. Just make sure to weigh the cake flour and have all the ingredients and room temperature.

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